This invention relates generally to equipment supports, and more particularly to an improvement in portable handheld equipment adapted to stabilize compact video camcorders.
Mobile film or video cameras typically require angular and spatial stability in order to obtain smooth, high-quality results. The Steadicam® portable camera stabilizing device, which has become a de facto standard in the TV and movie industry, was developed to permit stable ambulatory videography or cinematography by an operator. The inventor's U.S. Pat. No. 4,017,168 (Re. 32,213) is directed to a version of the Steadicam® technology. Following the advent of lightweight video camcorders, an inexpensive, lightweight stabilizer was needed in order to deliver the same high-quality mobile, ambulatory moving-picture images provided by the full-sized Steadicam®.
The inventor's U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,946,272, 5,098,182 and 5,229,798 describe compact stabilized equipment supports for hand-held camcorders that function without the need for the articulated, spring-powered exo-skeletal support arms essential to the operation of the full-sized Steadicam with big professional film and video cameras. The inventor's prior art invention comprises an expanded, counterbalanced, lightweight camera-mounting-and stabilizing assembly, which is hand-supported by means of a novel ‘interrupted handle’ in which the ‘gripping’ portion is connected through an angle-isolating gimbal to a guiding surface attached to the underside of the camera. A molded plastic version of the device, which was marketed as the ‘Steadicam JR™, inaugurated, and likewise became the de facto standard of, the category of hand-held camcorder stabilizers. That plastic version, however, was inherently somewhat less rigid, and therefore was less precisely and consistently balanced, than the original aluminum prototype as detailed in the above-mentioned U.S. Pat. No. 4,946,272. Such flexibility is deleterious to camera stability and tends to limit the focal lengths of the lenses that can be employed, since the energy of any vibration within or between components is conserved in the entire assembly and produces sympathetic vibrations that may be apparent in the camera's images, particularly as the lens is ‘zoomed in’ toward the telephoto end of its range.
The plastic Steadicam JR™ could be folded into a compact form for storage and for ‘shoulder use’, but when unfolded for use, though the ‘interrupted handle’ provided for fine adjustment of bottom heaviness. Gross vertical balancing of the plastic Steadicam JR™ for cameras of various weights was incrementally accomplished by interchanging a series of hinge stops of different thicknesses, and by adding and subtracting weights at the lower extremities. Neither the Plastic ‘JR’ nor the original aluminum prototype provided for precise, repeatable vernier adjustment of gross vertical balance.
Though rigid, the aluminum prototype, was not adapted to be conveniently (or repeatably) folded. Unlocking its hinge to raise the lower spar up beneath the camera mounting platform caused its balance position (achieved by trial and error) to be lost.
FIG. 1 generally illustrates a stabilized equipment support 101 of the prior art, for use in connection with a camera 102 which, in the embodiment illustrated, corresponds to a “compact” video camera (“CamCorder”) of the type which is conventionally available to the consumer. It will be understood that the camera 102 has been selected only for purposes of illustration, and that any of a number of camera configurations other than that shown in the drawings, as well as other types of “equipment” to be supported, may be used with the stabilized support 110, which is illustrated.
The stabilized camera support 101 includes a platform 103 for receiving the camera 102, and for receiving the handle 105. A first strut 106 extends from forward portions 107 of the platform 103 to a mounting 108 for receiving a view finding device 110. As with the camera 102, it is to be understood that the view finding device 110, which is shown in the drawings has been selected only for purposes of illustration, and that any of a number of available view finding devices may be used in connection with the stabilized camera support 101 of the present invention. Further extending from the mounting 108 is a second strut 111, which extends to a holder 112 for receiving one or more batteries 113 for providing the power needed to operate the camera 102.
It is to be noted here that the various components of the stabilized support 101 have been carefully located to provide an expanded, balanced camera-equipment-receiving structure having a mass (including all structures), which is disposed along at least two perpendicular axes (either as a plurality of discrete components or as a single longitudinally disposed mass) in a fashion which increases the rotational inertia of the unit, and which provides access to its center of gravity, to permit an adjustment of the relationship between the handle 105 of the stabilized camera support 110 and the center of gravity of the resulting unit, and thus provide a stabilized mounting for isolating the camera 102 from the broad spectrum of unwanted high-to-low frequency angular motions that may be encountered. This is accomplished irrespective of the particular mass or masses that are to comprise the stabilized camera support 110, as well as the configuration for the camera 102 and the view finding device 110, in a light and rigid interconnecting structure which permits access to the center of gravity of the resulting unit to achieve the desired stabilizing effect.
The handle 105 is generally comprised of two discrete, isolated handle portions. One portion of the handle 105 is constituted by the threaded end 137 which is received by the bushing 135 of the x-y table 120, and includes a control surface 140 which is adapted to be grasped by the operator, preferably using the thumb and index finger, for use in orienting the stabilized camera support 101. The other portion of the handle 5 is constituted by a grip 141 having notches 142 for receiving the remaining fingers of the operator's hand, to provide primary support for the stabilized camera support 101.
Any of a variety of devices may be used to connect the grip 141 and the end 137 of the handle 105, provided the selected mechanism is capable of isolating angular movements. The device selected for illustration in the drawings is a gimbal 145, although other types of isolating mechanism (e.g. ball and socket arrangements) can also be used for this purpose. The gimbal 145 is configured to provide angular isolation in three mutually perpendicular directions, and is specially configured to be sufficiently small to fit between the grip 141 and end 137 of the handle 135 so as to poise the ‘head’ of the stabilized camera support 101 upon a gimbal, which is sufficiently small to avoid interference with the use of the device by the operator. Thus, the gimbal 145 is sufficiently small to fit within the confines of the end 137 of the handle 105, in essence developing what can be considered to be a split or interrupted handle comprised of the handle portion 137, 141 and the gimbal 145.
This ‘interrupted handle’ operates to effectively separate the functions of lifting and orienting the stabilized camera support 101 and camera 102, even when held by only a single hand. The unit is easily supported by grasping the lower section or grip 141 of the handle 105 with the middle, ring and little fingers of the hand, providing adequate support for the unit, and facilitating transport of the assembly.
To be noted is that the lower section remains in angular isolation from the upper end 137 of the handle 105, so that the supported equipment remains virtually isolated from unwanted angular movements of the operator in the course of these support functions.
The end 137 of the handle 105 incorporates a relatively small, yet conveniently placed control surface 140 which can be lightly grasped by the thumb and index finger of the same hand (or of the other hand if desired), and preferably surrounds approximately the upper 50% of the gimbal 145, in annular fashion. This operates to avoid interference between the gimbal 145 and the remainder of the handle 105, as well as with the hands of the operator, and develops a limited (minimal) control surface, which can be lightly grasped to orient the stabilized camera support 101, and accordingly the camera 102, in the course of its operation.
Thus, these various approaches, and other variously simplistic attempts at hand-held camcorder stabilizers, have failed to provide an apparatus which could conveniently, repeatably and progressively be adjusted to stabilize a range of camcorders of various weights, and which could also fold and unfold in a manner that alternately sought either the singular best folding position or the elected, balanced operating position for the chosen camcorder and its associated equipment. Therefore, there is a need for a stabilized equipment support for lightweight camcorders that is particularly well adapted for repeatable adjustment of vertical balance and consistent folded positioning for shoulder deployment and storage purposes.